Hampton Heat Resilience Plan
Key Words: Climate Adaptation Planning, Urban Heat Island Effect, Enviromental Justice, Sustainability
The following document provides an analysis and a series of recommendations relating to the issue of extreme heat impacts caused by anthropogenic climate change in the city of Hampton, VA. Low-income communities, elderly residents, children, and those with pre-existing medical conditions have been identified as the populations most vulnerable to extreme-heat-related medical emergencies. These outcomes are also informed by the locations of these communities within a city, which is in turn informed by the history of injustice, displacement, and disinvestment in the city, including the practice of redlining. This document provides a definition for who is most vulnerable to heat-related impacts in Hampton, as well as provides a spatial analysis of where these vulnerable communities are. This document also recommends several adaptive strategies to best support the residents in Hampton with alleviating heat-related impacts, including formalizing the network of cooling centers within the city; creating and implementing educational outreach strategies about the dangers of extreme heat and what opportunities are available to stay cool within the city; and long-range implementation strategies such as cool roof initiatives, increasing access to affordable and shaded public transportation, and increasing tree canopy coverage within the city.
